An oasis in the desert debuts Friday in the eastern part of the valley, and it’s no mirage.

Clark County officials will dedicate the Hollywood Aquatic Center in the foothills of Frenchman Mountain at 6 p.m. Friday.

Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, who represents the area, will join residents and staff in dedicating the center, which features indoor and outdoor pools, waterslides and a lazy river. It is located in Hollywood Regional Park at 1550 S. Hollywood Blvd., between Charleston Boulevard and Sahara Avenue.

Residents are invited to join in the fun with free swimming, light refreshments and water demonstrations of synchronized swimming, water aerobics and water polo. There also will be an aqua “boot camp,” and a Las Vegas High School quartet and the Harney Middle School honor choir will perform.

“Families in the eastern half of the valley have been waiting for a complex like this for years,” Giunchigliani said. “Families now have a place to take their children swimming, schools will have access and many adults will enjoy the opportunity to swim laps or simply relax in this community jewel.”

The center is only the second regional aquatic complex the county has built, this one at a total cost near $14 million. The Desert Breeze facility opened at Durango and Desert Inn in October 2001. The nearest similar public indoor swimming facilities are in Henderson’s Whitney Ranch and in downtown Las Vegas.

The center is a single-story, 7,300-square-foot facility with a mostly glass-enclosed indoor pool area that features a 10-lane competition pool, an instructional pool and a party room. The facility will hold high school swim competitions, swimming classes and other water exercise activities for all ages.

The facility also includes an outdoor activity pool open to the public during the summer and features a beach-style entry with two waterslides, a lazy river, interactive play equipment, picnic space and a 17,000-square-foot pool deck. The facility was built with the environment in mind, using recycled building materials and local precuts.

Anyone attending the event who wishes to go swimming should be aware of these rules:

Children under 8 years old must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older who must be in the water within arm’s reach of the child at all times. If the child can pass a swim test, and the parent/guardian signs a waiver of liability, then the parent may watch the child from the deck while staying inside the facility.

The Southern Nevada Health District requires that only clothing specifically designed for swimming is allowed. This policy is designed to help maintain a sanitary environment as well as to minimize drowning hazards.

The aquatics center was designed to provide a relaxing, fun and environmentally responsible facility for all residents to enjoy. It will also be instrumental in providing swim lessons and drowning prevention programs to the public.